I had a possible HIV exposure and displayed swelling of my neck glands severe enough to make swallowing difficult between 10 and 17 days post exposure. At 17 days I was given a rapid antibody test (Negative) and accepted the Hep C vaccine which was offered to me (I did not follow up with 2nd shot). Since then I developed over the course of 10 weeks, night sweats, oral thrush, amalphous ulcers, burning and bloating of my abdomen with 100.4 fever, weight loss, fatigue, measle like rash with blisters and chronic sore throat. I tested negative again at 32 days (ELISA and HIV 1 DNR PCR) and negative again at 78 days(ELISA and HIV 1 DNA PCR). I am told the last test was to be considered conclusive but I had forgotten about the vaccine at 17 days. I have read Hep C can cause delayed seroconversion. Is it possible for the vaccine to have the same effect. I was until recently a healthy 48 year old with no drug habit. A course of ineffective antibotics ruled out strep and I was tested for a full panel of STD's plus Hep A, B and C and Consacki virus (all negative) Please help!

Response from Mr. Cordova

Hi there:

Thanks for writing in. Currently, there are no vaccines for Hepatitis C. There are vaccines for Hepatitis A & B. Perhaps that was the vaccine they gave you? The Hepatitis A/B vaccine is often given together, and is given as three separate shots over the course of a year. The vaccine will not delay the production of antibodies.

While 78 days is not quite 90, it is fairly close. I would feel confident in your negative result. You can wait until your regularly scheduled round of STD screenings. If your symptoms persist, I would suggest a visit to your doctor or a clinic to determine what the possible cause is.

This forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not rendering medical, mental health, legal or other professional advice or services. If you have or suspect you may have a medical, mental health, legal or other problem that requires advice, consult your own caregiver, attorney or other qualified professional.

Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any advertiser is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.

The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 750 3rd Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.